1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for lightening the skin, lips, hair, and/or nails. More particularly, the present invention relates to biologically active extracts for lightening the skin, lips, hair, and/or nails.
2. Description of the Related Art
Consumers have sought to lighten and reduce pigmentation in the hair, skin, and nails. There is a need for products that effectively lighten and reduce pigmentation in the hair, skin, and nails. Common applications for such products include, for example, bleaching hyperpigmented hair, skin, and/or nails; reducing age spots; evening or optimizing skin discoloration; improving the appearance of dark circles under the eyes; treating melasma, cholasma, freckles, after-burn scars, and post-injury hyperpigmentation; bleaching hair on the scalp, legs, face, and other areas where bleaching and color reduction are desired; and bleaching nail stains.
Skin, hair and nail pigmentation is determined by the level of melanin present in the epidermis, hair fiber, and nail bed, respectively. Three different types of melanin are present in the epidermis: DHI-melanin, DHICA-melanin and pheomelanin. The different types of melanin vary in color or shade. DHI-melanin is the darkest, and is blackish in color. DHICA-melanin is brownish in color. Pheomelanin is the lightest, and is reddish in color.
Melanin is synthesized in specialized organelles called melanosomes within pigment-producing cells (melanocytes). Melanocytes respond to stimuli to regulate melanin synthesis.
Many substances have been applied to the skin to lighten the skin. Such substances include hydroquinone, kojic acid, licorice and/or its derivatives, ascorbic acid and/or its derivatives, arbutin, bearberry, Glycyrrhiza glabra and its derivatives, Chlorella vulgaris extract, perilla extract, and coconut fruit extract. Perilla extract is disclosed as a whitening agent in U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,904 and Japanese Publications Nos. 07025742, 07187989, 10265322, 2001163759, and 2001181173. Coconut fruit extract is disclosed as a whitening agent in Japanese Patent No. 2896815B2. An extract of spongy mass of coconut tissue is employed in a tanning sunscreen composition in U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,099.
Active ingredients derived from plants and plant seeds have been employed in topical compositions for a myriad of medicinal, therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. Such active ingredients can be obtained from various parts of a plant such as seeds, needles, leaves, roots, bark, cones, stems, rhizomes, callus cells, protoplasts, organs and organ systems, and meristems. Such active ingredients are incorporated in such compositions in a variety of forms. Such forms include a pure or semi-pure component, a solid or liquid extract or derivative, or a solid plant matter. Plant matter may be incorporated in a variety of subforms such as whole, minced, ground or crushed.
Extracts of Azadirachta indica, the neem tree, as well as other plants in the family Meliaceae, are known to have insecticidal activity. Azadirachtin, a major active ingredient of many of these extracts, is a liminoid of the tetranortriterpenoid type useful in commercial insecticides. Tetranortriterpenoids have been shown to be a potent insect growth regulator and feeding deterrent. Methods for producing azadirachtin concentrates from neem seed materials are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,423 to Holowach-Keller et al. is directed to a method for producing azadiractin by cell culture of Azadiracta indica. 
Extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra linn. are derived from the herb, which grows perennially in subtropical and warm temperate regions. Glycyrrhiza glabra linn., commonly known as licorice, has been used in food sweetening. The root extract contains glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid. The glycyrrhizic acid is known to have an anti-inflammatory effect. The extract of the licorice root and glycyrrhetinic acid have been shown to have desoxycorticosterone and ACTH-like effects. It has been used as a demulcent and mild expectorant. In vitro studies have shown the antiviral properties of both glycyrrhetinic acid and glycyrrhizin (See Badam, “In Vitro Studies on the Effect of Glycyrrhizin from Glycyrrhiza glabra linn. on Some RNA and DNA Viruses,” Ind. J. Pharma., 26, 194–199 (1994)). The extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra linn. can be extracted by a method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,309 to Iyer, et al.
Extracts of Morinda citrifolia are derived from the Indian Mulberry plant. Morinda citrifolia has been used in compositions for reducing oxysterol buildup in the blood and normalizing cholesterol and blood pressure in mammals as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,387,370 to Yegorova. A method of extracting and purifying an essential oil product of Morinda citrifolia is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,157 to Wadsworth et al.
Extracts of tomato glycolipid are derived from tomato fruit. Methods of extracting and synthesizing tomato glycolipids are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,186 to Mudd et al.
Extracts of Butea frondosa, also known as Butea monosperma, are derived from an East Indian deciduous tree. Butea frondosa has been used as an astringent and in treating diarrhea, dysentery, and pyrosis. Use of Butea frondosa for its ocular anti-inflammatory activity has recently been tested (See Mengi, “Evaluation of Ocular Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Butea frondosa,” Ind. J. Pharma. 27, 116–119 (1995)).
Extracts of Naringi crenulata, also known as Limonia crenulata, are derived from a small tree indigenous to East India.
Stenoloma chusana is a perennial herb found in southeast Asia. Extracts from this plant are known to have uses in treating colds, influenza, bronchitis, burns, cuts, and skin sores (See A Barefoot Doctor's Manual, Running Press, Philadelphia, Pa., p. 638).
Heretofore, these extracts have not been used as an active ingredient in a composition for the purpose of lightening skin, lips, hair or nails.
It would be desirable to have compositions that employ new biological extracts that provide effective levels of lightening, bleaching, hypopigmenting, whitening and/or depigmenting (hereinafter referred to individually and collectively as “lightening” or “lighten”). It would further be desirable to have compositions that are effective in lightening hair, skin, lips, and/or nails and require minimal concentrations of the biological material.